[Robear9992]

I love my bose tri-ports, but alas, they're not longer being sold and its replacement (AE2) isn't holding up to its legacy of great sound quality. One pair is broken and the other isn't aging well.
 
I'm in the market for headphones ~$150. I'm a software engineer and may go 12 hours straight wearing the headphones, so comfort is probably my #1 concern. The tri-ports were really light and never made me sweat. Second, I really liked the deep, full bass the tri-ports delivered.
 
Does anyone have suggestions? Any thoughts from people who have used the tri-ports and moved on?
 
Thanks!
 
 

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[tdockweiler]

I haven't found much that sounds similar to the AE1. I always liked them back in 2002-2003. I got another pair recently and still felt they were very good.
 
One idea is to try the Shure SRH-440. They have some similarities maybe but the comfort is not that good, so that's out.
 
The only thing that comes close to the comfort is the KRK headphones with memory foam pads. They have good bass extension, but not really a lot of bass impact. I love the KRK KNS-6400 with memory foam pads. The 6400 runs about $99. The 8400 is $150 but comes with memory foam pads. I don't like this as much though so I just bought new pads.
 
Seriously you could wear these all day without any pain. The signature is non-fatiguing too. Probably a lot less treble than the AE1 for sure, but the 6400 has more forward mids.
 
There is also the Maxell DHP-II which looks like an AE1 clone sort of, but it's getting very hard to find and not worth more than $75. They were going for $35 about a year ago. They sound very good despite being Maxell.
 

 

[lovleylady]

I have the BOSE tri-port and used it for several years.
 
I have heard the Grado SR-60/80is and think they are both better than the BOSE soundwise, comfort is different but not less. Both are cheaper too.
 
Downside may be that they are open-style so you can't really use them in a office if there's where you do your software engineering.
 
The most comfortable phone I put on my head was the Senn. HD 598. Nice sound too. Bit out of your price limit though.
 
You should probably just go to a store and test out the most comfy for your head.
 
Good luck.

 

[Remonster]

Grados do not have the same sub bass as the Bose (or actually, any sub bass whatsoever) so depending on your idea of bass (do you want a bass guitar or kick drum to sound right or do you need REALLY low sub bass for electronic or rap music?) you may or may not be happy with those.
 
Despite Bose's reputation, the Tri Ports are actually a very good headphone (if a little overpriced) but I like the Audio-Technica ATH-M50s a lot better for that same price range. Beyer Dynamic DT770s have even more bass and are another good choice, I don't know how much they cost off the top of my head.
 
Both the Audio-Techncias and the Beyer Dynamics will sound much, much better than the Bose Tri Ports but they are definitely a little heavier. There isn't another closed headphone I'm aware of that is quite as light as those Bose headphones but that's because they're made cheaply and that's why they don't last very long. Decent headphones in this price range will easily last 10-15 years.
 
If you have a Guitar Center near you, go there. They have all these brands on display and you can try them all for yourself. I did just that and ended up with the ATH-M50s.

 

[greggie]

I used a pair of TriPorts at work many years ago.  They sounded OK, were very comfortable, and fell apart quickly (the plastic crumbled).  So I moved on, trying Sony MDR-V6 (not bad), the original Bose IE (meh), Sennheiser HD-590 (great sound and comfort, too open for work, my main cans at home now), and an assortment of IEMs - Senn CX-300 (no thanks), JBL Reference 220 (very good), and finally the Shure SE535 (great sound, expensive, not that comfortable, fiddly to remove/reinsert when other people stop by to talk).
 
After all that, I'm currently using the Bose IE2.  They are very comfortable and have a great sound signature, bass included.  You get some insulation from external sounds when the music is playing, but are not isolated.  Being Bose, they are of course overlooked and looked down upon here on Head-Fi, but I think they are underrated and am happy with them so far.  The price is right and they are a good value.
 
If you really need isolation, the JVC HA-FX67 AirCushions are inexpensive, sound good (with break-in) and are pretty comfortable for IEMs.  Head-Fi member Katun thinks they are great, see his review:  http://www.head-fi.org/t/553590/fx67-review-a-hidden-gem

 

[Robear9992]

First, thank you so much for the detailed replies. I'm impressed
 
I think I have to suck up the fact that no other headphones are going to be as light as the tri-ports or have the g-string headband I first fell in love with the tri-ports when I tried them at a display at best buy - they really blew me away. I did have 2 of 3 on me break, so they are fragile, but I've managed to make the 3rd last almost 6 years my removing them with 2 hands instead of just grabbing one cup to remove - I guess the plastic just didn't like the torquing.
 
I listen to mostly electronic music and R&B these days, so well-defined bass is important. I don't need it to overwhelm the mids and highs, just to "feel" like bass. Some headphones can deliver the range, but the bass just sounds empty.
 
There's a Guitar Center near me that I think I'll stop by tonight. I was considering the IE2's since I liked the tri-ports so much, but I wasn't sure how the base would be with earbuds. These might be more appropriate than bulky headphones for the office environment though I was looking at the ATH-M50s as well since they seem to have great reviews.
 
I'll post back and let everyone know what I ended up going with after I stop by GC.
 
Thanks again.

 

[Robear9992]

I picked up the ATH-M50's. They sound quality is good, but they're noticeably heavier than the tri-ports.
 
All and all I wouldn't recommend them for comfort compared to the tri-ports. The sound quality is about on-par, but I'd still put my tri-ports in a slightly higher rank.
 
 
--ROBERT

 

[lovleylady]

Nice of you to report back
 
I might pick up some M50's myself just out of curiosity, they are well renowned here.
Are they good for portable purposes?
 
Cheers.

 

[Ra97oR]

Imo the Sony ZX700 is better for portable purpose than the M50, shorter cable, smaller, lighter, more comfortable. It doesn't even have the mid range dip that the M50 have.